Reversible propeller.



VPatented Oct. 28,1902. f

M. H". 'nl-:PUL- BEVEBS'IBLE PROP'EL'LER.

'(Appncaeion med mr. 1o, 1962.

2 Sheets--Shee- 1.-,

(No Model.)

o o o 11M... A W

1 gu nanfa@ TH: Nonms PETERS co.. #Ham-uws.. wsums roN. D. c.

` UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

MICHAEL H. DEPUE, OF WASHINGTON, NEW JERSEY.

REVERSIBLE PROPELLER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 12,123, dated October 28,1902.

Application filed March 10, 1902. Serial No. 97,602. (No model.)

To all whom. it may concern:

Be it known that I, MICHAEL H. DEPUE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Washington, in the county of Warren and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Reversible Propel 1ers; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to 1o which itappertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in reversible propellers for vessels.

The object of the invention is to provide a propellerof this character which shall be simple of construction, comparatively inexpensive of production, eiicient in operation, and in which the blades are adapted to be readily and conveniently shifted for propelling the vessel backward or forward or slowly arrestzo ing the motion thereof without the necessity of reversing the engine.

With this and other objects in view, which will readily appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in certain novel features of construc- 3o which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of a propeller embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section of the same. Fig. 3 is a vertical cross-section on line 3 3 of Fig. Fig. 4 is a similar View on line 4 4 of Fig. 2. Fig. `5 is a horizontal section on the line 5 5 of Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is a cross-section through one of the blades and arms, said section being taken on the line 6 6 of Fig. 2. Fig. 7 is 4o a detail view of one of the cranks, showing drawings, the numeral 1 represents the propeller-shaft, which projects through the stern of the boat and may be mounted in the usual way and which is provided'wit-h a threaded end 2, entering a threaded socket 3 in a sleeve 5o or extension of one. of the parts of a sectional head comprising the two portions 4 and 5. Olamped between these two portions of the tapered at its extremities to form oppositelyprojecting axles orvspindles 8, the two arms head are the arms 6 and 7, each of'which is being` arranged at right angles to form four radial axles for a corresponding number of blades and being halved at their point of crossing, as indicated at 9, to lie snugly between the parts of the head and to prevent either arm from having casual endwise movement. The arms are clamped to the front section 4 of the head by U-bolts or clevisesV 10, extending through said section and to vwhich are applied nuts 11, and are additionally held by rthe clamping action of other parts, as will be hereinafter fully described.

Mounted to oscillate upon each axle or spindle 8 is a sleeve 12, which is provided at its inner end with a circumferential collar 13 and below said collar with a head 14. Against this collar bear a pair of keys 15, which have dovetailed edges to fit and slide in d ovetailed grooves 16, formed in the meeting faces of the parts 4-and 5, a pair of keys for each sleeve being employed to prevent outward movement of the sleeve on the spindle 8 and to hold the two sections 4 and 5 of the head united. By this construction it will be seen that the inner ends of all the sleeves 12 will be held securely seated'in the chamber or casing formed by the said two sections of the head and that at the same time the sections of the head will be held assembled. The parts of the head are further secured in position by caps 17 and 1S, which form a socket or housing to inclose the head, the inner ends of the axles 8, and coacting parts.

These caps are united by bolts 19 and are suitably recessed in their meeting edges for the passage of the axles 8 and sleeves 12. When the caps are connected by the bolts, the keys 15 are concealed and held from outward movement, thus obviating all liability of accidentaldisplacement of said keys; but,

if desired, a bolt 0r other like fastening 15 may be used to prevent outward sliding of each key.

The propeller-blades 2O are fixed to the sleeves 12, and each is formed of two sheetmetal plates 21 22, laid with their broad sides in contact except at the points where said plates are in contact with the sleeve, at which points said plates are concaved on their in- IOO ner faces to form semicircular seats 23 to receive the sleeve, such eoncavities being provided by displacing or bulging a portion of the metal outwardly by the action of a die or suitable tool. As shown, in order to enable the parts to be easily assembled and to secure a firm and stable connection between the parts of the blade the sleeve l2 is preferably formed of two corresponding longitudinal sections having outturned anges 24, which are beveled to a thin edge and are connected to each other and to the plates of the blade by rows of rivets 25', said rivets being passed through the flanges and plates, and the blad es 21 22 are also united at their edges by rivets 25, whereby the parts are held firmly connected. By thus employing sheet-metal blades better results are secured than by using a casting, as the blades are lighter, stronger, and more durable and may be easily bent to secure the proper twist for the most effective action on the water. The outer end of the axle 8 may be threaded to receive a nut 27, which bears against the shoulder formed by the outer ends of the seats 23 and acts as an auxiliary fastening to hold the sleeve 12 against outward movement on the axle or spindle 8. The inner end of each blade bears against the outer surface of the hub or casing formed by the caps 17 and 18 and are limited in oscillation by stop-lugs 28 and 29, said lugs being so placed that one limits the axial movement of the blade in one direction, while the other limits the movement of the blade in the reverse direction. The blades are turned and reversed through the instrumentality of the following mechanism.

Slidably mounted on the shaft 1 is a longitudinally divided or split sleeve 30, which is formed at its outer end with a hub or enlargement 3l, which is adapted to embrace the inner end of the head-section 4. As shown, the sleeve and hub are divided to form four parts or sections, two of which are connected by an outer collar 32 and the other two by an inner collar 33, said collar 33 being adapted to slide on the sections of the sleeve connected bythe collar 32 and the said collar 32 to slide with the sections to which it is attached on the shaft l. The outer or enlarged ends of the sections of the sleeve 30 are formed with grooves 34 to receive the inner ends of links mounted therein upon suitable pivots 35, said links corresponding in number to the propellerblades and parts of the divided sleeve. To the sleeve-sections connected by the collar 32 are thus attached links 36, and to the sleeve-sections connected to the collar 33 are attached corresponding links 3G'. The outer ends of these links are respectively connected by universal joints 37 to the inner ends of crank-arms 38 38', which are provided at their outer ends with sockets 39, engaging the heads 14 of the sleeves 12. By this construction it will be seen that upon sliding the collar 33 outwardly two of the blades-t. e., those actuated by the links 36' and cranks 38'-will be turned at an angle to their normal position or reversed, while the blades actuated by the collar 32, links 36, and cranks 38 will remain in their normal positions, so that the two pairs of blades will exert an equal power in opposite directions, one pair acting to back the vessel, while the other operates normally to propel the vessel forward, theret by causing the vessel to come to a slow stop,

or, if at rest, to remain motionless without stopping the engine. If when the parts are in this position 'the collar 32 be slid outwardly on the shaft 1, so as to carry with it the two sections of the divided sleeve 30, which are attached thereto, the links 36 will be moved outwardly to actuate the cranks 38, whereby the other two blades will be turned and reversed, thereby causing all the blades to propel the vessel backwardly, or, if the vessel is moving forwardly, to bring it to aquick stop. A reverse movement of the collars 32 33 re stores the parts to their normal positions and brings the blades again at the proper angle to propel the vessel forwardly.

By the construction of the parts as described it will be seen that the action of the propellers may be quickly and conveniently controlled to start, stop, reverse, and slow up the vessel as desired, thus enabling quick action to be taken in cases of emergency to control the motion of the vessel to avert a collision or other danger without the necessity of stopping or reversing the engine. The improved propelling mechanism also enables the vessel to be easier handled in every way. As stated, the lugs 28 29 limit the oscillation of the blades 20 and stay the same, and by so doing prevent undue strain from falling on the cranks and links. This action of relieving the parts of strain is also promoted by mounting the blades 2O eccentrically on the sleeves 12, so that one side of the blade will have a greater thrusting action on the water than the other side. By this means the pressure of the water on the wider side of the blade is utilized to maintain the blade when in one position or the other in contact with the lug 28 or 29, as the case may be, thus preventing the blade from wabbling.

The sections of the sleeve 30 are held properly spaced apart, guided, and held from rotation on the shaft 1 by radial guide-ribs 39', which are formed on the head member 4 and project into the spaces or slots between the sections, as shown in Fig. 3.

The sleeve 30 and cooperating parts are inclosed by a cylindrical casing 40, which is designed to extend between the cap 17 and stern-wall of the vessel and is formed at its inner end with a iiange 4l for passage of bolts or other suitable fastenings to secure it to the vessel. On the exterior of this casing are controlling-rods 42 43, which are connected at their outer ends to lugs 44 45, slidably fitted in slots 46 47 in said casing and suitably connected to the collars 32 33, whereby the latter may be operated to turn the blades. The

IOO

portions of the rods and the slots 46 47 are covered by a hoo'd or shield 48, connected to the casing 40, whereby the entrance of anything likely to choke or prevent the easy aetion of the parts is prevented.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the construction, operation, and advantages of my improved reversible propeller' will, it is thought, be readily understood without requiring a more extended-explanation.

Various changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

Having thus described my invention, what Iclaim as new, and desire to secure b v Letters Patent, is

l. In a reversible propeller, the combination with a propeller shaft; of reversible blades mounted thereon, and operating means for reversing some of the blades independently of the other blades, or all of the blades together, said means comprising a sectional sleeve, means for independently or jointly operating the parts of the sleeve, and connections between the parts of the sleeve and blades to oscillate said blades when said sleeve-sections are operated, substantially as specified. i

2. In a reversible. propeller, the combination with a propeller shaft; of reversible blades mounted thereon, and operating means for reversing some of the blades independently of the other blades, or all of the blades together, said means comprising spindles connected to the blades, a sectional sliding sleeve, cranks connected to said spindles to oscillate the same, links connecting the cranks to the partsof the sleeve, and means for operating the sleeve-sections independently or in unison, substantially as set forth.

3. In a reversible propeller, the combination with a propeller-shaft; of a sectional head one of the parts of which has a fixed engagement with the shaft, said head being formed with dovetailed keyways, arms clamped between the parts of the head and forming spindles, sleeves mounted to oseillate upon the spindles and carrying propellerblades, dovetailed keys entering said keyways and connecting the parts of the head together, a hub or socket inclosing the head, a sliding sectional sleeve, connections between the parts of the sliding sleeve and os,- cillating sleeves to oscillate the latter, and means for operating the parts of the sliding sleeve, substantially as described.

4. In a reversible propeller, a spindle, a sleeve adapted to turn upon the spindle, a propeller-blade iixed to the sleeve and eccentrically set, means for turning said sleeve, and lugs against which the blade contacts in its two positions, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

M. H. DEPUE.

Witnesses;

BENJ. G. Cown, HARRY S. WELCH. 

